Metro area roads turned dangerous after sunset tonight, as slick, shiny pavement made driving difficult.
Interstate 25 was closed because of accidents near 88th Avenue and Colorado 119 in Boulder County was also closed. Thornton was on accident alert.
The day’s snowstorm failed to leave much snow on the highways, but it did leave them covered with a sheen of ice.
Elsewhere, U.S. 6 was closed over Loveland Pass because of adverse weather conditions and southbound I-25 was closed at Raton Pass.
The snowfall was widespread along the Front Range and in the Denver metro area today, according to the National Weather Service, with early afternoon reports of 16 inches of new snow in Eldorado Springs, 15-inches in Genesee and 13.5-inches in Aspen Park. All three areas are in the foothills west of Denver where it continues to snow.
At Denver International Airport, on the eastern edge of Denver east of I-25, only two inches of snow had accumulated by early afternoon. Snow at the airport was sticking to grassy areas, but paved portions remained mostly just wet, said Chuck Cannon, a DIA spokesman.
The entire airport was open and most flights were running on time with a just a few spotty delays up to about 15 minutes.
Overnight snow mixed with rain in spots, but the precipitation turned to solid snow after 7 a.m., the weather service said.
Snow will continue to be heavy at times, especially along the foothills from Boulder south to Roxborough Park.
During heavier periods of snow it will fall at about a rate of 2-inches per-hour in Denver, the weather service said.
In the foothills and mountains today heavy periods of snow will fall at a 3-inch per-hour clip, the weather service reports.
Roads in the metro area should become slushy and icy in spots as the day progresses.
Parts of I-70 were shut down this morning, near Colfax Avenue west of Denver and near Avon in the mountains, because of weather related accidents and issues. Drivers, especially in the mountains, should be prepared for adverse conditions.
Eight people were injured at about 11:40 a.m. in two separate weather related traffic crashes on I-25 near Surrey Ridge in Douglas County.
The injured were taken to local hospitals, details on the their conditions were not released.
Drivers, before setting out, can check road conditions with the Colorado Department of Transportation by calling 303 639-1111, or on the Internet at the department’s website at .
Denver could see up to 10 inches of snow today with wind gusts up to 20 mph, the weather service said. Most foothills locations could receive up to 14 inches of new snow today. Winds east of I-25 should gust up to 25 mph creating visibility issues for drivers.
Temperatures in Denver today will not get above the 20 degree range and the temperature at 4 p.m. should be about 24 degrees.
Snow will decrease from the north to the south late this afternoon, but snow could fall heavy at times in Denver until about midnight before giving way to foggy skies.
On Saturday lingering snow in Denver should be tapped out by about 10 a.m. Skies will be mostly cloudy and the high temperature in the city should be about 34 degrees. Sunday in Denver should be sunny and calm with a high temperature in the lower 50s.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
